"Another bishop would be very desirable, sir," he said.
"But why do you want so many bishops?" said Mary. "Aren't they very liable to make objections? My Nautch Girl dance is perfectly all right, but——"
"Although a Nonconformist myself," said Linker, "I cannot but be aware of the social position of the dignitaries of the Established Church. They would certainly be of great value to the pageant."
He mentioned in a reverential whisper the name of a popular ecclesiastic, one of the few who are thoroughly well known to the public outside church circles.
"If a few actresses would be of any use," said Mary, "I might get them."
"As skittish as possible," said Jimmy. "Some ladies of the gayer kind will be wanted to balance all the bishops."
"And if," Linker addressed Sir Evelyn again, "you could see your way to inviting——"
He named a very great statesman, a man with a European reputation for the astute manipulation of international Congresses, Assemblies of the League of Nations and such things.
"Not necessarily to be present at the pageant," said Linker apologetically. "That would be asking too much. But if we might make use of his name."
"Do get him, Sir Evelyn," said Beth. "He'd be worth pounds to me in paragraphs. He and the bishops and Mary's actresses all together."